It was after a heavy spell of rain during the 2015 monsoon that Sonali Garg walked out to a spot she had been visiting regularly, and unsuccessfully, for more than two years. A large muddy puddle. But this time, she…
Month: February 2019
The great tax debate—the world is turning
Policy proposals by lawmakers in the United States have spurred a hotly contested debate on taxation among economists in recent weeks. The Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez argued that the US needed to raise additional revenue by going back to marginal…
Govt to give compensation to fire victims: Quader
Dhaka, Feb 21 (UNB) –Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said the government will provide compensation to the victims of Chawkbazar fire. Investigation will be carried out into the incident and necessary legal measures would be taken…
Mining grabs up land, deals blow to agriculture
SAN SALVADOR, Feb 19 2019 (IPS) – Like an octopus, metals mining has been spreading its tentacles throughout Central America and dealing a blow to the region’s agriculture and natural ecosystems, according to affected villagers, activists and a new report on…
Agribusiness is the problem, not the solution
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb 19 2019 (IPS) – For two centuries, all too many discussions about hunger and resource scarcity has been haunted by the ghost of Parson Thomas Malthus. Malthus warned that rising populations would exhaust resources, especially those needed…
In the world of sustainability, colonialism is not dead
SINGAPORE, Feb 19 2019 (IPS) – Scandinavian fashion label and global It-brand Ganni hardly caused a stir recently when it closed Copenhagen Fashion Week with a sustainability-themed showcase titled “Life on Earth.” Considering that sustainability is now a consumer trend, it…
PM orders proper treatment to Chawkbazar fire victims
Dhaka, Feb 21 (UNB)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to provide proper treatment to the injured people and necessary support to the families of those killed in the fire incident at Chawkbazar in Old Dhaka.…
Shamima not a Bd citizen; no entry for her: Dhaka
Dhaka, Feb 20 (UNB) – The government of Bangladesh on Wednesday made it clear that radicalized IS teenager and British citizen Shamima Begum is not a Bangladeshi citizen and there is no question to allow her to enter Bangladesh. “She…
Death toll in old Dhaka chemical warehouse 81
Dhaka, Feb 21 (UNB) – At least 81 people were killed and around 41 others injured in a devastating fire that broke out at a chemical warehouse and raged through four other adjacent buildings in the city’s Chawkbazar area on…
Govt’s irresponsibility behind Chawkbazar fire: BNP
Dhaka, February 21 (UNB) – BNP on Thursday blamed the government’s mismanagement and irresponsibility for the loss of huge lives in fire at a chemical warehouse in Chawkbazar area of Old Dhaka. “The government has failed to deliver on all…
Two launches collide in Meghna; 30 injured
Dhaka, Feb 20 (UNB) – At least 30 people were injured as two launches collided in the Maghna River near Katpatti Launchghat in Sadar upazila of Munshinganj district on Wednesday. Dhaka-bound launch ‘MV Karnaphuli-14’ crashed into ‘MV Imam Hasan’ coming…
Iran’s Islamic Revolution at 40 – aiming at New World Order
By Firoz Osman Forty years ago a momentous event took place when the Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty, installed by the CIA, fled Iran, ushering in the Iranian Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on February 1, 1979. Western…
DU chalks out elaborate programmes to observe Amar Ekushey
DU Correspondent Dhaka University (DU) authority has chalked ut a series of programmes to observe Amar Ekushey, the International Mother Language Day on February 21 with due respect. University’s “Central Coordination Committee for Observing Amar Ekushey” and various sub-committees are…
President, PM pay homage to Language Heroes
News Desk President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid their rich tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement on the occasion of Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day. President Abdul Hamid and Prime…
Vaccine could virtually eliminate cervical cancer
The rapid scale-up of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could virtually eliminate cervical cancer in a handful of rich countries within three decades, and in most other nations by century’s end, researchers said yesterday . Without screening and HPV vaccination,…
Samsung launches folding smartphone, first 5G handset
Samsung unveiled a smartphone that folds open to be a tablet, becoming the first major manufacturer to offer the feature as it strives to stoke excitement in a slumping market yesterday. The South Korean giant also appeared to get the…
Japan govt, Fukushima operator told to pay over nuclear disaster
A Japanese court awarded nearly $4 million in fresh damages to scores of residents forced to flee their homes after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown yesterday. The Yokohama district court ordered the government and Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) to…
Oscars chef cooks up a storm for the big night
They will nibble on Oscar-shaped flatbreads topped with smoked salmon and caviar, sip French champagne and sink their teeth into tiny chocolate Oscar statuettes. Nothing is good enough for Hollywood’s elite who will be wined and dined after the Academy…
Pantha Kanai sings for Fahmida Nabi
Culture Desk Fahmida Nabi is all set to appear as a music composer of a whole album. Primarily focusing on patriotic songs the album contains fifteen songs sung by different vocalists. One of the vocalists is Pantha Kanai. His song…
Filmmaker Muhammad Khasru dead
Culture Desk Muhammad Khasru, a pioneering figure in the movement for decent films in the country has passed away. The filmmaker breathed his last at BIRDEM, Shahbagh yesterday. He was suffering from asthma, diabetes. He had been living in his…
কাশ্মিরে নির্যাতন বন্ধে ঐক্যবদ্ধ হতে হবে – চরমোনাই পীর
ভারতের কাশ্মিরে নির্যাতন ও ধর্ষণের সংবাদে গভীর উদ্বেগ ও ক্ষোভ প্রকাশ করেছেন ইসলামী আন্দোলন বাংলাদেশ-এর আমীর মুফতী সৈয়দ মুহাম্মদ রেজাউল করীম পীর সাহেব চরমোনাই। বুধবার এক বিবৃতিতে তিনি কাশ্মিরে নির্যাতন বন্ধে বিশ্বমুসলিমকে ঐক্য গড়ে তোলার আহ্বান জানান। তিনি বলেন, মুসলমানদের…
Bd NGO Network for Radio and Com projects get recognition
The Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC)’s two projects have been recognized as the Champions of the prestigious UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes contest 2019. Projects are; Climate justice and resilience through Community Radio…
Poor quality employment a major challenge says ILO
Geneva (Kanaga Raja) – A majority of the 3.3 billion people employed globally in 2018 experienced a lack of material well-being, economic security, equal opportunities or scope for human development, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has found. In its latest…
Container-based sanitation: one way to reach the last mile
Submitted by Clementine Marie Stip On Tue, 02/19/2019 co-authors: Seema Thomas, Martin Gambrill Cities are growing at unprecedented rates, with over two-thirds of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050 (UN DESA 2018), and city governments…
Austrian FM Karin Kneissl pays tribute to language martyrs
Dhaka, Feb 20 – Austria wants to boots its bilateral cooperation with Bangladesh in various sectors especially in trade and investment, technology transfer and start a direct international flight between Dhaka and Vienna. Visiting Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl on…
13 hurt as train hits picnic bus in Chattogram
Chattogram, Feb 20 (UNB) – At least 13 people were injured as a Chattogram- bound train hit a picnic bus carrying students and guardians of a madrasha on a level crossing near the Eco -Park in Sitakundu upazila on Wednesday.…
Wake up and smell the organic coffee
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, Feb 20 2019 (IPS) – In 1992, the idea of replanting her father’s ruined coffee farm seemed foolhardy at the time. But in retrospect it was the best business decision that Dorienne Rowan-Campbell, an international development consultant and broadcast journalist,…
PM for protection, practice of own languages
Dhaka, Feb 20 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday stressed the importance of protection and practice of own languages and cultures for making a healthy environment for the future generation. “It’s our duty to protect, exercise and take…
Sabbir’s ton goes in vain as Bangladesh suffer clean sweep
Dhaka – Sabbir Rahman hit his first international century on Wednesday at Dunedin but Bangladesh failed to avoid a clean sweep against the hosts New Zealand. The Tigers suffered a big loss of 88 runs after losing first two matches…